Appliances such as audio devices including radios, tape and compact disc players, for example, which are mounted in a conventional manner to the instrument panel of vehicle, are easily, and hence frequently, stolen. The instrument panel of most vehicles is constructed of plastic, thus facilitating the forcible removal of a factory installed or other appliance since the plastic mounting tabs or other components of the instrument panel supporting the appliance in place may be readily broken. The foregoing results in permanent damage to the instrument panel because the mounting tabs or components supporting the appliance are often cast as a single piece with a larger portion of the instrument panel structure. Replacement of the appliance in many cases thus also requires replacement of the entire instrument structure or large portions thereof.
Accordingly, it is desirable that the appliance mounting components of a vehicle instrument panel be reinforced in a manner to deter forcible removal of the appliance by breakage of the plastic mounting components. Once a vehicle instrument panel has been vandalized or otherwise damaged by forcible removal of an appliance, it is desirable that the appliance be replaceable without the undue expense and hardship of replacing entire portions of the instrument panel structure.